Newbie just starting out, need new CC and Action Plan

In February I got the Chase Sapphire Preferred card & will get 50K Ultimate Rewards in another month or two (depending on billing cycle). I'll be ready to obtain a new CC soon! So a recommendation is needed, and if anybody can give me an action plan that would be GREAT!

We obtain little mileage from flying as we only take 1 or 2 domestic trips each year. My ultimate goal is a 7 to 10 night trip for 2 to Maui in 2013 (January, February, March, or November). Perhaps if I go a less aggressive route it won't happen until 2014.

Needed are airline tickets (coach is fine), Car Rental (economy is fine), and Hotels (We have stayed at the Hyatt Regency Maui & would like to stay there again, if possible, but anything equivalent will do).

The closest airport is GFK and I can be there in 10 minutes. The only commercial airline service [unfortunately] is Delta. I could drive to FAR, which is about a 70 mile drive each way, but that means gas, parking fees, possible hotel stay due to bad weather (or very early/late flight), additional time off work, but if I can get an expensive trip for little or nothing, I'd give it a try. FAR airlines are: Delta, United, American Eagle (same as AA?)

DL Miles: I currently have 130,000 & husband has 42,000. We do have enough miles for airline tickets but maybe the miles could be used for hotel or car rental instead. AA Miles: I have 6,000 United Miles: We each have 8,900

It may be hard to convince my husband to take out a credit card too. Would be nice as he's a sales rep & puts on another 1K a month on his credit card (GM card, and we have used the $3,500 rebate dollars once already, but our next vehicle may be a different make so I just cringe each time the statement comes). We each have credit scores of 800+. He just thinks this whole idea of getting points/miles for nothing is too good to be true. Maybe in another year or two he will understand. So for now I would like some thoughts on which card I should take out next. Thanks.

Since you already have enough Delta miles to get to Maui, all you really need to do is choose a hotel chain or two that you would be happy with and start accumulating points and/or free nights via a credit card or two. It is rarely a good value to use air miles for hotels or car rentals, though there exceptions to every rule. It might be difficult to accumulate enough hotel points in one chain quickly to get seven (or more) nights for free, so you might consider getting cards from 2 hotel chains and splitting your stay (if that is acceptable).
I'm sure others will have better ideas.

I'd piggy back on miles and smiles' post about concentrating on hotels since your closest airport is only serviced by Delta. If AA serviced that airport, I would recommend getting yourself and your husband the two AAdvantage Visa/AMEX cards that have one credit pull but give you 100K AAdvantages miles each which is enough for First awards.

Have you considered the AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) card? It would be tough to get another personal Chase card so soon so maybe the Ink business card which is giving 50K UR points? 100K UR points should be enough for 4 nights at the HR Maui (22k per night). If you can get 10K additional UR points you should have enough for 5 nights. Possibly get the Hyatt Chase card mid-way through the year for an additional two nights which would make it a total for 7 nights?

Hi, another newbee here.. Looking to do a RTW trip this fall or next spring for me and my wife. We currently have 106k AA, 68K USAIR (maybe buy 100k for the 100% bonus match $1.8k for each 50k), & 38k Delta. Also, 90k Hyatt & 68k Marriott. Is there a way to go RTW combining OneWorld & Star Miles? Or should i look at doing separate trips to Asia (Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong Bangkok) and Europe, Dubai, Dehli? Thanks for any help you can give..

Hi, another newbee here.. Looking to do a RTW trip this fall or next spring for me and my wife. We currently have 106k AA, 68K USAIR (maybe buy 100k for the 100% bonus match $1.8k for each 50k), & 38k Delta. Also, 90k Hyatt & 68k Marriott. Is there a way to go RTW combining OneWorld & Star Miles? Or should i look at doing separate trips to Asia (Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong Bangkok) and Europe, Dubai, Dehli? Thanks for any help you can give..

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Impossible in your situation with US because they do not allow o/w awards like UA and AA. You would have to do a R/T "RTW" with *A if you decide to pull the trigger on the 100% US bonus. I'd save the AA miles and do the double browser trick for yourself and wife so its an additional 200K which would make your total balance at 300K which is enough for 2 R/T F tickets to Asia on CX.

Actually thinking about it.. if you get the additional miles from the AAdvantage bonus you can probably fit in an OW itinerary in between your *A award. Example: *A R/T award to Australia then OW R/T award to Europe (Qantas A380 or CX)

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